Saturday, December 18, 2010

I received a book from my friend, Christine Carlson. The title of the book is "A Cup Of Comfort For Writers". - Inspirational stories that celebrate the literary life, edited by Colleen Sell.

On the back cover of this book it says - Whether you're already published or as yet undiscovered, "A Cup Of Comfort For Writers" will inspire you, motivate you, and fuel the fire that keeps you writing.

Christine is a fellow writer, good friend and motivator. As a writer herself she understands the importance to share our trials and triumphs of getting our stories on paper. I look forward to travelling the writing path with you. Thanks for believing in me!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

It being Sunday, I thought I would list some of the many blessings in mylife that I am truly grateful for:

1) I am grateful for my Mom, Betty and Mother-in-law, Rita who have unfortunately both passed away and are my past, who each in their own way brought love, joy and wonderful memories into my life;

2) I am grateful for my husband, R.J., our four children, (Kerryn, Melanie, Greg & Eric), son-in-law, Scott and little Christine, who are my present and truly bring meaning to the word “present” by being the true gifts that they are;

3) I am grateful for our grandson, Collin who is my future and reminds me that life goes on and my own gifts will continue through him;

4) I am grateful for friends who are supportive, warm, caring, giving and are a constant factor in my life; who accept me for who I am, understand me and love me for it;

5) I am grateful for days, like today, when gratitude walks beside me or sometimes a few steps ahead of me, allowing a skip in my step, to keep up with it.

For these things and many more I am deeply grateful for the many blessings in my life.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

I have started a bookshelf on my blog with a few of the Children's books that I have read and would recommend. There will be more added to the shelf, this is just to get started. Some of the books on the shelf are from a writer from my writer's group (Peter Arenstam). A couple of the others are from an author/illustrator (Margo Lemieux) and an other author (Jo Knowles), that I have met. These are just a small portion of my favorites and I want to share with you. I can't wait for the day I add one of my books to this shelf!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Do you belong to a writer's group? I do, and I am glad that I do. They are a great group of people who read, listen and help to get you on the right track with getting your manuscript polished for submission. Ideas are bounced off of each other and you are also a part of watching someone else who is going through the same process that you are, in getting work published. Many thanks to our Writer's Groups!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

The only person who can give you pleasure, or deny it, is yourself. It is up to you to make the decision to either experience pleasure or not to. If you are resistant to being happy, you could be in the middle of a group of people who are all happy and still be miserable. Many of us fill our days with obligations and don’t take the time for ourselves. Imagine having an entire day to spend it however you like – no commitments or obligations; how would you spend that day? Money is no problem or it doesn’t have to cost anything! How would you spend your day? It can be a combination of many things or just one thing that you would want to do on your free day!

So, undock your boat and set it afloat. Share your day with us and we’ll see how many ways a “Free Day” can be spent!

My “Free Day”:

1) Sleep in late.

2) Turn off the phone.

3) Soak in the tub with my favorite bath oils and soft music.

4) Put on nice pajamas and a soft robe; have a cup of tea and a delicious scone.

5) Relax and read all day.

6) Take a nap in between reading.

7) Have dinner delivered.

I’m planning mine and will plan to have at least one a month for myself; how about you?

Saturday, November 13, 2010

I loved her a great deal, too. As Mother-in-laws go, I did well. Rita, passed away on November 3, 2010. Its heart wrenching to watch someone’s life slip away. Rita had a fierce determination for life. She was defiant all the way.

One feature I will always remember about her is that she always had a warm, welcoming smile whenever she saw me. I will truly miss that; I know that she loved me, too.

She loved her family and there is so many of us she could love. My Husband touched deeply on her life and love of her family with his eulogy and from that we carried away just how much she loved us all. I appreciate that she raised a great son; turning him into the wonderful man I married. I appreciate all that she did for me, still pushing for me to continue with my writing and urging me to submit her favorite story. I appreciate the loving, caring woman she was to me. We will keep her in our minds and hearts with the memories and stories from years past and grow from them. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will thrive from her spirit. It is said that our loved ones find their way back to check on us. Something brings them back, and that is a good thing. Maybe we read too much into the signs like these, maybe not. All I know is it gives us great peace, and that’s all that matters. But, I’ll be watching and waiting. It’s hard to know she is not with us, whole again, but, in spirit she makes me smile. I’ll keep her memory and love in my heart forever.

Friday, November 12, 2010

On October 30, 2010 I attended the ENCORE 2010 Workshop at Rhode Island College. Here is a list of the speakers that presented at the workshop:
J. L. Bell - Writer, Editor and Historian. (http://www.ozandends.blogspot.com/)

This was my first workshop and I am excited to say I cannot wait for the next one. The networking of other writers, both published and unpublished, is informative and rewarding. Here are some of the discussions that were given at the workshop:

1. There are two kinds of writers – Character Writers (are most interested in people) and
Plot Writers (are most interested events). I now realize I am mostly a Plot Writer.

2. Write to your strengths, revise to your weaknesses.

3. Assess your scenes – make sure each scene has a turning point.

4. Turn your manuscript into the book it wants to be, by writing to your maximum potential.

5. Tell stories that both surprise and satisfy.

6. Use memory observation to find inspiration.

7. Do your research on choosing the right publishing house; increase your odds.

One of the writing prompts we were given was “THAT NIGHT” (from "Jo Knowles"). We were given a few minutes to come up with something using that as the start of a story. Here is what I came up with:

That night, the crunch of the leaves under my feet almost gave me away. The birds in the trees ruffled their feathers, at the sound. Yet, the two men in the clearing had not heard me approach. I inched my way forward; fearful of giving myself away. It was near the fallen log that I crouched low, feeling sure that I would not be discovered, while I watched and listened.

One of the men was throwing dirt back into a hole that they had apparently dug, while the other man grumbled, “Hurry up, Harry!”

“Keep your shirt on Ralph!” said the one called Harry. “I’m shovelin’ as fast as I can.”

“We gotta get out of here,” urged the man called Ralph. “C’mon, c’mon.”

Harry had finished filing in the hole and Ralph was kicking leaves over the freshly filled hole.

It was then that I had this uncontrollable urge to sneeze! “Ahhchoo!” I jumped to my feet, almost tripping over them in my hurry to do so.

“Who’s there?” roared Ralph.

“Let’s get ‘em, Ralph,” urged Harry.

Quickly, I turned. I ran back through the woods; my braids flapping from side to side, keeping my arms outstretched in front of me, pushing away branches to clear my way.

TIME RAN OUT at the workshop on this prompt and that is as far as I got with this writing exercise. Who knows maybe, I will use it as part of a book. 

There were many more writing prompts and ideas. This is just a sampling; if there is a SCBWI Workshop in your area. Sign up! You’ll Love it!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The gentle morning breeze, scented with Lavender and Honeysuckle, called me once again to my garden. Slowly, I walked barefoot to the arbor that is sprayed with Morning Glories, beckoning me to enter. Their bell shaped heads, softly glistening with the early morning dew. I pause for a moment to drink in their delicious aroma.

The dew kissed grass tickles my toes, as I glide through the endless green path. Gracefully, whirling and turning, with arms spread out, to take in the wondrous sight of pinks, whites, yellows and purples of the colorful garden. The delicate breeze brushes the blossoms as they sway gently and waltz with me. The pink Dianthus reach up to touch the hem of my skirt. Butterflies dip and flutter from flower to flower. The song birds sing their melodies, while the hummingbirds, at the feeders, keep in tune. Their harmony flows through my head as I waltz through my garden, endlessly...

"Mom, Mom!" I hear as my daughter calls to me. "You're dripping water all over the floor, again!"

I look down and water is overflowing from my little potted plant. I sigh, as I move to grab some paper towels to clean up the river that is flowing across the kitchen floor. Sighing once again, I look once more at my plant and place it back on the windowsill and whisper, "Save the last dance for me!"

Saturday, October 23, 2010

We traveled to Salem for Columbus Day weekend. A weekend of fun, exploration, shopping and keeping the flames of friendship burning. (A little play on words here, just because!). So here is a potion for the Women Who Total Eight; for weekends past, present and yet to come:

In a cauldron black as night
Place these things and keep them in sight.

Eight pairs of ears, always ready to listen.
Eight pairs of hands, that when needed are ready to hold.
Eight pairs of shoulders, just the right height.
Eight hugs from hearts warm and tender.
Eight voices not usually a whisper but, mostly full of laughter.
Eight pairs of eyes that when you look into - A good friend you'll see.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

I will be going to Salem this month with a group of friends and staying in one of the Historical Homes; right in the center of town. There, I will travel through time, and visualize what it was like to live in Salem, Massachusetts; in the year 1692. It is there, while sharing the company of good friends, conversation and fun that I hope to outline the second story of Mehitable and Rachel. Will Salem’s grizzly past captivate my imagination while I walk down the lanes, peering into the past? I will have to wait, watch and write.

We picked up the box and crept toward the fence. Just as we reached the fence, we heard the door of the house slam shut. TAC jumped over the fence a lot quicker than I thought she could. I handed her the box. Just as I put my hands on the fence, we heard...

"What are you two doing here?" roared the stranger, "don't you kids have anywhere else to hang out instead of coming around here?"

We were so scared. He was running across the yard, now. I yelled, as I jumped the fence right after TAC. "Run, TAC! Get that box out of here!"

We ran all the way home. We didn't even stop to catch our breath. "I thought he was going to catch us!" said TAC.

"You've got to be kidding! I was still in the yard when he started coming after us; afraid isn't the word for it," I said.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Pick a time and place every day to write and stick to it. If you put it off you are letting yourself think it’s really not important. For me, it happens to be early in the morning, the very start of the day. I wake up from a night’s sleep with ideas fresh in my head, eager to start. I consider it the development of a good habit; so, just do it.

On the mornings I am not feeling so creative, I read. Reading can help to unfold a new idea. Read and write everyday; start today. This day will only be here once, don’t let it just slip by.

Let The Day Inspire You

No matter what happens in your day, there will be something in it you can write about. Observe what is happening around you. It could be the dialogue between two people; what is said or how it is said. Look around you. Try to see it as how it would read on paper, a ray of light, the sound of rain tapping on the window or the sounds of laughter. Write what you see, hear and feel. Then visualize what you write, see it in your mind, how it will be, feel how it will feel to other readers. Dare to imagine. Visualize it and you create it. Anything can inspire you when you choose to let it.

The Joy Of Silence

Make time for a silent retreat each day. Turn off the television and radio. Follow the path to your mind’s home. Shut out all the sounds around you, breath slowly and deeply. Take 15-20 minutes a day to enjoy the silence; you’ll be amazed at how refreshed and renewed you will feel.

Stop Making Excuses And Start Making Progress

Create deadlines for yourself; set a plan into action. No goal is unattainable. Think of what you want to accomplish and then make it happen. Don’t live in fear of rejection. Be willing to take the risk; let that fear go. Value your craft. Learn from the opinion of others; use it to step back and find an effective way to move forward from it; knowing there is value to be gained from it.

Keep your goal in mind and make it happen. To reach your goal requires discipline and effort. What you put into it, is what you get out of it. Keep the objective in sight. Feel the joy of accomplishment. Above all write, write and re-write!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Summer is soon coming to a close. Children will be starting back to school. It makes me think of backpacks, new school clothes and school buses. With these thoughts in mind, do you ever wonder why kids write on the foggy windows of school buses?

At first, you see them with their faces pressed up against the glass, steaming up the window with their warm breath. Quickly, they draw something in the foggy mist; it’s like finger painting! Written in a cloud are pictures, ideas and funny sayings. For a fleeting moment they have shared what’s on their mind. Children can create out of a mist, clear it away and create again.

So, as summer rolls away and I see all those school buses rolling by, I will think of those children on the school buses and their drawings on the windows; and hope I can create something new out of my foggy mind and put it on paper.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a writer. Many times I would find myself creating a story in my mind from what I had seen and heard, creating characters from personalities and traits from those around me. When I closed my eyes I tried to visualize in my mind what I had seen.

In the past, I spent a lot of time talking about writing; but talking is just that, talking. My mouth became too dry to speak; so I closed my mouth and wrote it down. That’s how I became a writer.

I’ve taken a wrong turn here and there. It’s just a matter of not getting discouraged. I have spent the past few weeks rereading and rewriting my stories and I am on the path of submitting to an agent. I write stories to tell stories that I would want to read.

Tomorrow, I am starting a new writing project which I am very excited about. But, that’s a story I’ll save for another time.

My Picture

About Me

I am a writer of children's stories. I love to write picture books, middle grade and YA. I am a wife, mother (of 4 grown children) and grandmother (of one). I came up for the name of my blog when our grandson was born. My husband said that he would like to be called "Pop!" After hearing this, I decided that I would like to be called "Lolli!" After all, what child wouldn't want to go to "LolliPop's House!" Hence, that is where "Lollipop's Cottage" came from. Besides writing, some of my other interests are sewing/quilting, cooking, drawing and painting. For our daughter's wedding I made her dress, veil, bridesmaids' dresses and my outfit (there are pictures on the left side of my blog). It kept me busy for several months. I have done a bit of traveling. I even landed on a glacier in Alaska and went dogsledding. But, of all the places I have been, my favorite place to visit is inside my grandson's hug. I melt when he says. "Hi Lolli!"

Mom Said She Would Be There

This story is not a children's story but, rather a memoir, as well as, the first story that I wrote. It is dedicated to my Mom:

I called my Mom today, to tell her that we were going to have a baby. She was so excited, and couldn't wait to see me. When we went there for supper a few nights later, she couldn't stop talking about the baby. We told her that the baby was due in October. She said, "It's going to be a girl!" Mom was going to make a sweater set in every color for the baby but, she was going to make a pink sweater first.

In April, we celebrated Mom's forty-eighth birthday! Mom hadn't been feeling well lately. It was spring time and everything was supposed to be fresh and new but, over the next couple of weeks, we found out that my Mom had cancer. Although we were devastated, we were hopeful that she would beat it.

As a child Mom was struck with polio, and she was told that she would never be able to walk. She did, first with braces; and then on her own. She was also told that she would never be able to have children because she had a tipped womb, along with other complications. The doctors were wrong; she had five children.

After the operation for her cancer, she was told that they couldn't get it all but, the doctors would try treating it with chemotherapy. After everything she had been through we just knew she could beat this, too!

Mom kept on smiling and joking with lots of talk about the baby. She wanted to know what we were going to name HER! We told her that we hadn't decided on a girl's name or a boy's name, yet. She just laughed. I visited with her every week, and she always talked about the baby. Each time, I convinced myself that she looked a little better. I couldn't or wouldn't bring myself to see that she was weakening, even when she was leaning over a pail and emptying her stomach because the chemotherapy was making her sick. She never complained; she only said that she was sorry, and she hoped that she was not getting me upset! She just wanted to talk about how I was feeling, and making sure that I was taking care of myself, and the baby. On one of my visits, I noticed that she was crocheting something pink. I knew that it was for the baby. I teased her and asked, "What if it is a boy?" She only responded with "It will be a girl!"

May came and went with more treatment and medications. Each time I visited with her she would be crocheting with the pink yarn. I remember telling her that she would be better before the baby was here. She was so looking forward to it! She told me that no matter what, she would be there when SHE was born!

The month of June rushed in too quickly, and precious time was speeding by. Mom was rushed back into the hospital. Even when they were putting her in the ambulance, as we were all crying; she tried to make us laugh, by discreetly sticking up her middle fingers on both hands. Mom always thought this was funny and would do it just to make us laugh. She was in a lot of pain. Now, my visits consisted of just me talking about the baby, hoping she could hear. She was heavily medicated and couldn't respond. Somehow, I knew that she could hear me.

My Mom passed away on June 25th. She went peacefully in her sleep. 'A Lovely Woman' is the epitaph on her tombstone. She truly was!

The next couple of months passed, with birthing classes, a baby shower, and the setting up of the baby's room. With each event, I kept thinking that she said she wasn't going to be there when the baby came.

Finally October was here, and it was the rainiest night that I could remember having. We were on our way to the hospital, in the downpour. The baby was trying to make its appearance; in the delivery room the doctor said "It's a Girl!"

Mom, you were right all the time! After the doctor cut the cord and laid her on my chest, I looked down and SHE was holding her hands, the same way you always did; both middle fingers up on each hand! It was then that I realized that you were with me all the time!

Dad came in to see us the next day. He brought a package with him from you to me. Dad said that you wanted me to have it. When I opened it, inside was a beautiful pink sweater, hat and bootie set; they had the faint scent of your perfume on them.

The baby wore the sweater set home, all snug and warm, as if in a hug from you. Thank you, Mom! Watch out for her, as you always did for me. Sleep well with the angels. They are lucky to have you! Thank you, Mom for being there!

Writing

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly...Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain." - Author unknown.